Packed To The Rafters: articles

Brooke Satchwell's packed with happiness

BROOKE Satchwell has emerged from the darkness of her relationship with Matthew Newton and being caught up in the Mumbai terrorist attack to announce that she has never been happier.

Satchwell - so distressed by the end of her relationship with Newton in 2006 and the trauma of Mumbai that she felt little desire to pursue acting jobs that would place her in the public spotlight - returns to TV with a role on Packed to the Rafters.

She is also so happy in a relationship with film editor David Gross that she's even discussing marriage and babies.

"Dave and I had this interstate relationship, but we are now renovating a house (in Sydney) and living this grown-up life," Satchwell, 31, said.

"All I get asked about now is marriage and babies ... I would like that in future."

A settled life seemed unimaginable five years ago, when a court was told how Newton had pushed and punched Satchwell in the home they shared in Rozelle.

"In darker moments in my life I have thought I could go somewhere different and not do this job," Satchwell said.

She became loath to chase work when she was in the headlines.

"For sure, there have been periods when I felt like that because of all the attention (over Newton).

"It's been a real frustration because the line has been blurred (between media interest in her personal and working life)."

She also says being caught up in the destruction of the 2008 Mumbai massacre has made her stronger.